[Fsf-kerala] Free Software in Higher Secondary

[CK Raju]

On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 6:06 PM, Renni P Mathunny <rennipm at gmail.com> wrote:
> Please note that this is only a list of alternatives for the software/tools
> used in the current syllabus.

Renni,
The list you have created makes a lot of sense.

But perhaps, at least now, we should seriously ponder on our approach
of *going behind better possibilities*, citing cases from Free
Software. This approach has a very great flaw embedded in it, which
has often succeeded in creating confusion among the bureaucrats, which
makes them appear as *moderates* when they suggest a *combination of
solutions* - mixing proprietary with free software.

We need to seriously brainstorm to evolve a methodology of learning
software, that cannot be replaced by proprietary software. In other
words, for proprietary software to do such tasks, they should no
longer remain proprietary - they should license under GPL-type
licenses.

At primary schools, for instance, students can be tasked to share
copies of software they like most with their classmates and friends
elsewhere (a deliberate political act which violates most proprietary
licenses of non -sharing).

At upper primary and high-school levels, a similar outlook can be
embraced for violating modification restrictions of proprietary
licenses. ie, Students can be tasked to make alterations in graphics
contents, little bits of source code, make them combine different
modules existing in different software and then force them to share.

And at Higher Secondary level, the syllabus should contain contents
whereby it tasks to publish software with modifications - ie, they
release modified software under a public license. Only under such a
deliberate and conscious political approach can we expect to stamp out
this malady for ever.

Else we may end up wasting considerable energy, gaining only toxins in
our brains.

CK Raju